ATP Tour

Sinner & Alcaraz have arrived, but Djokovic says ‘I’m not waving the white flag’

Novak Djokovic has never been one to downplay his ambitions, and even at 38, he isn’t about to start now.

After Lorenzo Musetti was forced to retire on Wednesday while holding a two-set lead, the Serbian moved into his 13th Australian Open semi-final. Standing between Djokovic and a record-extending 11th title at Melbourne Park is the sport’s new power struggle.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the top two players in the PIF ATP Rankings, have split the past eight major titles between them, and Djokovic could be required to beat both to lift the trophy again. Yet while he acknowledges the momentum of the game’s newest rivalry, Djokovic’s mind still drifts to the battles that defined an era.

“Roger and Rafa will always be my greatest rivals,” said Djokovic, who owns a positive Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Federer and Nadal. “I have tremendous respect for what Jannik and Carlos are doing and what they will do for the next 10 to 15, 20 years… God knows how many years they're going to play, they're so young.

“This is a natural cycle in sports. You're going to have another two superstars [and] maybe have another third guy — who I'm going to cheer for — because I've always been the third guy at the beginning. But it's good for our sport. I think these kinds of rivalries and the contrast of the personalities and the styles of play are very good for tennis.”

The numbers underline just how present Djokovic still is. In 2025, he reached the semi-finals at all four majors, retiring against Alexander Zverev in Melbourne, losing to Sinner in straight sets at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and falling to Alcaraz at the US Open.

While results suggest the new generation has seized the upper hand, Djokovic rejects the idea that he is chasing anyone else’s legacy.

“How is [their rivalry] affecting me? As I said, I don't feel like I'm chasing. I'm creating my own history,” Djokovic said. “I've been very clear when I say that my intention is always in terms of achievements, objectives and results. I want to get to the championship match in every tournament, particularly Slams. Slams are one of the biggest reasons why I keep on competing and playing tennis.

“Are they better right now than me and all the other guys? Yes, they are. The quality and the level is amazing. It's great. It's phenomenal. But does that mean that I walk out with a white flag? No. I'm going to fight until the last shot, until the last point, and do my very best to challenge them.”

{{player.PlayerFirstName}} {{player.PlayerLastName}}

{{player.PlayerCountryCode}}

{{player.PlayerLastName}}

{{player.PartnerLastName}}

{{player.Record}}

Vs
wins

{{opponent.Record}}

Show H2H Detail

{{opponent.PlayerFirstName}} {{opponent.PlayerLastName}}

{{opponent.PlayerCountryCode}}

{{ opponent.PlayerLastName }}

{{opponent.PartnerLastName}}

• {{player.Ranking}} Rank {{opponent.Ranking}}
• {{player.Age ? player.Age : '-'}} Age {{opponent.Age ? opponent.Age : '-'}}

With his opening-round win over Pedro Martinez, he became the first player to record 100 victories at three different Grand Slam events. Now, he is chasing a record 25th major title, one with which he would move him clear of Margaret Court atop the all-time list.

A fourth-round walkover following Jakub Mensik’s withdrawal has afforded Djokovic extra recovery time, raising questions about his physical condition as he awaits either two-time defending champion Sinner in Friday’s semi-final. Asked how his body is holding up, Djokovic kept it simple.

“I had a blister that needed to be looked at and retaped,” Djokovic said. “That's what I did last match and now. That's the biggest of my concerns, to be honest. I don't have any other major issues.

“You always have some minor issues with your body, at least for me every single day. But major issues? No. Thankfully, that's still not posing a challenge for me and an obstacle in order for me to be able to play and move around the way I want to.”